Closure for collapsible tubes



Feb. 19, 1929. 1,702,998

A. FOLTIS I CLOSURE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed Sept. 10, 1927 INVENTORI I v WITNESS: I ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES PAT ANESTIS FOLTIS, OF ELMHURST, NEW YORK.

CLOSURE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES.

Application filed September 10, 1927. Serial No. 218,710.

This invention relates to improvements in closures forcollapsible'tubes.

The primary object of the invention resides in a closure which iscaptively mounted upon a collapsible tube to seal the discharge openingtherein whereby the closure is prevented from accidental separation fromthe tube when moved to an open position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a closure cap forcollapsible tubes which may be actuated by one of the fingers of thehand in which the tube is held which .leaves the other hand free toreceive the discharged contents of the tube, or to hold a tooth brushshould the tube contain a dentifrice.

A further object is the provision of acap for collapsible tubes which isswingingly mounted thereon but which is locked against swinging movementby co-action with the neck of the tube when the cap is in a closedposition.

A still further object is the provision of a closure cap which iscaptively mounted on a collapsible tube and which must be lifted fromengagement with the tube and swung about its pivot to move the same froma closed position to an open osition.

A still further object is to provide a captive closure cap forcollapsible tubes which is simple of construction easy to mount on thetube, and inexpensive of manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in certainnovel construction and combination and arrangement of parts, theessential features of which are hereinafter fully described, areparticularly pointed out in the appended 01mm, and are illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of acollapsible tube with my improved cap mounted thereon and showing theopen position of the cap in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view throughthe to of thetube.

Figure 3 is a simi ar View taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional View on the line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the closure cap and itscorrelated parts per se.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the reference-numeral 10designates a collapsible tube of the ordinary construction having a neckllthrough which a discharge opening 12 extends. The outer end of theneck is provided with a reduced annular collar 13 and a fiat seat orshoulder 14:. A boss 15 is formed on one side of said neck and has abore 16 disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of said tube andopening from the interior thereof to the outer face of the boss.

My improved closure comprises a cap 17 having a central recess 18 in theunderface thereof to receive the flange 13 of the tube when the cap isin a closed position. A pin 19 extends downward from the cap and has ahead 20 on the free end thereof. The pin is slidable through a tubularsleeve 21 provided with an exterior annular groove 22 by which thesleeve is anchored to the tube by crimping the side of the boss as at 23so that a portion of the wall of the bore is seated in the groove 22.The top of the sleeve lies flush with the outer face of the boss whilethe lower end of the sleeve extends into the tube and is enlarged indiameter as at 24 to house an expansion spring 25 which encircles thepin and is interposed between a shoulder in the sleeve I and the head 20to constantly place an inward tension upon the cap 17.

When the cap is seated as shown in the drawings in full lines, the sametightly seals the open end of the tube to prevent accidental dischargeof any of the contents thereof, and cannot turn about its pivoted pin 19because of the flange 13 being seated in the recess 18 of the cap. Ifdesired a cork washer 26 may be provided in the cap for assuring thesealing of the contents of the tube. However, when it is desired to movethe cap to an open position, the operator presses the cap outwardagainst the action of the spring 25 until the lower edge of the capclears the outer edge of the flange 13, at which time the cap is pressedsidewise to cause the same to swing about its pivot pin 19. 'When thecap is swung fully aroundto free itself from contact with the flange 13,the spring will cause it to be pulled inwardly to look behind the flangeat which time it is held. against swinging closed and will be out of theway during the dispensing operation. When it is desired to close thecap, the same is ulled outward against the action of the sprlng to clearthe end of the flange and is swung about its pivot until the capautomatically drops over the flange by theaction of the spring. Thisentire opening and closing of the cap may be performed by themanipulation of the thumb of the hand of an operator by which the tubefree for holding a tooth brush to receive the ing through the top wallof said collapsible dentifrice as it is discharged from the tube. /tubeand being provided with an annular While I have described what I deem tobe the most desirable embodiment of my invention, it is obvious thatmany of the details may be varied without in any Way departing from thespirit of my invention, and I therefore do not limit myself to the exactdetails of construction herein set forth nor to anything less than theWhole of my invention limited only by the appended claim.

What claimed as new is ll n a collapsible tube having a projecting seatat the discharge end thereof, a closure unit separate from saidcollapsible tube comprising a tubular sleeve having two bores therein ofdifl erent diameters to provide a shoulder therein, said tubular sleeveextendgroove, the wall of said collapsible tube being crimped into saidannular groove for fixedly anchoring the closure unit in position uponsaid-collapsible tube, a pin passing through the bores in said tubularsleeve, a closure cap carried by the outer end of said pin for sealingengagement with, the projecting seat, a head on the inner end of saidpin, and an expansion spring housed Within said tubular sleeve andinterposed between the shoulder therein and said head, substantially asand for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof l have aflixed my signature.

ANESTIS FOLTIS.

